Three days of a migraine unresponsive to medication last week and I was fed up.
The evening of the third day, I was worried that I’d broke something by eating some triple-chocolate brownies and the pain would never again relent. Melodramatic, maybe, but the fear of reverting to constant migraines again is omnipresent. Then I remembered that I started a new probiotic a couple hours before I ate the brownies. I skipped the probiotic the next morning and quickly shifted into migraine hangover.
You think I’d be used to days of migraine after so many years of chronic migraine, but the expectations I’ve developed over this year of feeling better have displaced those of so many previous years. It used to be that three days of an unrelenting migraine was just normal. I didn’t plan much because the default was being on the couch with a migraine. Now I’ve gotten used to being functional most days, to Amerge stopping many attacks in progress, to having the pain rarely above a 4. I really notice when I’m laid up for three days.
I’ve gone from assuming I will have a migraine all the time to assuming that I won’t have one and, even if I do, it will respond to medication and I’ll be able to manage it fairly well. The latter has finally become normal. And now I’m frustrated when life doesn’t meet the massively revamped expectations. How awesome is that?
I have had my migraine for nearly 8 months, and I don’t have many external triggers other than light and sounds.
Charlotte,
I’m sorry to hear that. I wish you all the best in finding relief.
Take care,
Kerrie
Food triggers migraines are the least to respond to a triptan in my experience. For me, wheat=evil. I wish you more pain free days.
Lisa, you’re the second person to tell me of that experience. It isn’t the case for me, although there are certain foods that are particularly hard for me to recover from. If I catch them in time, most of my food-triggered migraines respond to triptans.
Take care,
Kerrie
After a few years of reading your blog I’m so glad your pain is under control. I’m sorry you got laid up for 3 days with a bad one, but it’s great that most of them respond to medication! I just began a new preventative and am hoping it will get my chronic migraines under control (that is always the hope with a new med/treatment plan, right?!). I feel optimistic.
Kelly Lynn, thanks for the support! I’m not sure “under control” is the phrase I’d use, but I’m definitely doing better than I have my entire adult life. Best of luck finding an effective treatment.
Take care,
Kerrie
I just wanted to thank you for all your posts and everything you do. I always seem to relate in one way or another to everything you write about. My daughter has chronic migraines which she got from me. Mine are now episodic, but I had a five day migraine months ago that was due to new medication for something unrelated. So I get it and my daughter gets it. She reads your posts also and we discuss them. Keep up the great effort it is much appreciated.
Thank you, Juliana! I’m so glad your migraines have reverted to episodic, but so wish you didn’t have to see your daughter go through this. I’m glad my writing helps you both.
Take care,
Kerrie
I’m the same way! There were years where my constant headache pain was out of control. Now that it is under control, I freak out when I get out of the norm pain, like my recent 11 day migraine event induced by a new medication. Thankfully that is now gone since my meds are back to normal. Its interesting how much our perspective can change. I hope you have more low pain days. Best wishes.
Tortoisegirl, it really is odd, isn’t it? Wonderful, but odd!
Take care,
Kerrie